Invitation for Full Submissions
2026 International Design Conference (IDC) & Education Symposium

Submission Deadline: May 15th, 2026

Click here to submit your full submission

Author Guidelines  

Engagement with the symposium theme of Authenticity is encouraged (see below) and should be substantive rather than rhetorical. 

All full submissions must be in American English and follow the official template provided for the selected format and use APA citation style (7th edition). Additional formatting details will be included in each template. 

General Expectations (All Formats) 

Strong submissions typically: 

• Clearly articulate a central question, claim, or contribution. 

• Situate the work within relevant literature, theory, or prior practice. 

• Describe methods, processes, or frameworks with sufficient clarity. 

• Provide evidence to support claims (empirical data, artifacts, cases, reflection, etc.). 

• Discuss implications for design education, practice, or research. 

• Maintain anonymity (the only exception to this would be in naming panelists for panel discussion submissions). 

Submissions that lack contextual grounding, methodological clarity, or a clearly articulated contribution may not be accepted.

Review Standards for Full Submissions

Submissions will undergo a second round of blind peer review. Final decisions may result in acceptance, acceptance with minor revisions, or rejection. Submissions requiring major revisions will not be accepted. Full submissions will be evaluated using the following criteria, with increased expectations for depth, clarity, and completeness:

• Clarity and Focus: Clear articulation of purpose, central question, or contribution appropriate to the selected format and track. The argument or structure should be fully developed and coherent.
• Significance and Contribution: Demonstrated advancement of dialogue in design education, practice, or research. The contribution should be explicit and well supported.
• Rigor and Coherence: Appropriate and clearly described methodology, conceptual framing, or practice-based approach. Claims should be supported with evidence, examples, or scholarship where relevant.
• Relevance to Audience: Clear value for educators, students, practitioners, and researchers. Implications or takeaways should be articulated.
• Engagement with the Theme: If the submission addresses the theme of Authenticity, engagement should be substantive and thoughtfully integrated.
• Formatting and Language: Submissions must adhere to APA citation style (7th edition) formatting guidelines, use the appropriate submission template and adhere to any additional guidelines provided therein. Submissions must use American English.

Common Reasons Submissions Are Declined 

To support the development of strong contributions, authors should be aware of common issues that may result in rejection: 

• Unclear contribution – The central argument, question, or insight is not explicitly stated or insufficiently developed. 

• Insufficient contextual grounding – Limited engagement with relevant literature, precedent, or professional discourse where appropriate. 

• Lack of methodological clarity – Methods, processes, or frameworks are not clearly described, making claims difficult to evaluate. 

• Unsupported claims – Assertions are made without sufficient evidence, examples, or critical reflection. 

• Descriptive rather than analytical focus – The work documents activity, but does not articulate broader implications or learning. 

• Misalignment with selected format or track – The structure or intent does not match the chosen submission format (e.g., workshop, full paper, panel discussion) or track (e.g., design education, design research). 

• Failure to follow submission guidelines – Missing required sections, exceeding word limits, or not maintaining anonymity. 

• Failure to anonymize submission – In order to maintain double-blind review standards, please refrain from using people’s or university/organization/institution names in your submission. That can result in rejection of submission. Use e.g. [Author1] [University’s name] instead. 

We encourage authors to review the format-specific guidelines carefully and ensure that their submission clearly communicates its purpose, rigor, and contribution.

Format Specific Guidelines

Full Papers 
3,000–4,000 words (excluding references) 

Full papers should present original empirical, theoretical, or methodological work. 

See Word document template: IDSA_Education_Paper_Template_2026.doc 

Recommended structure: 

1. Introduction 

2. Background / Literature Review / Theoretical Framing 

3. Methodology / Approach 

4. Results / Findings / Outcomes 

5. Discussion 

6. Implications / Conclusion 

7. References (APA 7 format) 

Engagement with relevant scholarship is expected. Citations should be substantive and appropriately integrated, not perfunctory. 

Visual Papers 
1,500–2,500 words (excluding references), plus visual material 

Visual papers should present design-led or practice-based inquiry where artifacts, diagrams, or visual material are central to the argument. 

See Word document template: IDSA_Education_Visual_Paper_Template_2026.doc 

Submissions should: 

• Clearly articulate the inquiry or contribution. 

• Contextualize the work within relevant discourse or precedent. 

• Explain the process or methodology behind the work. 

• Include captions and explanatory text connecting visuals to argument. 

• Move beyond documentation to include reflection and insight. 

Visual sophistication alone is insufficient; the intellectual contribution must be explicit. 

Workshops 
1,000–1,500 words 

Workshops are designed as interactive sessions lasting either 60 minutes or 120 minutes.
Proposals should specify the requested duration. 

See Word document template: IDSA_Workshop_Submission_Template_2026.doc 

Full proposals should include: 

• An introduction to the workshop objectives, including any relevant background information;  

• A clear description of the workshop sequence and activities; 

• A clear description of materials and technology required to conduct the workshop; 

• An outline of the workshop’s primary learning objectives; 

• An overview of how the results of the workshop will be documented and/or shared, including participant access to content such as slides, hand-outs, etc.   

• Qualifications of facilitators and a description of previous workshops conducted (please make sure to keep this description anonymous). 

Workshops should demonstrate depth and active engagement rather than presentation-only formats. 

Panels 
1,000–1,500 words total 

Panel submissions should present a coherent and focused dialogue lasting either 60 minutes or 120 minutes. Panelist names should be included (i.e., not anonymized) in full submissions. 

See Word document template: IDSA_Panel_Submission_Template_2026.doc 

Full submissions should include: 

• A unifying question or tension. 

• A theoretical background to contextualize and ground the panel discussion. 

• A short bio (50 words) and brief position statement (200 words max) from each panelist. 

• Explanation of how perspectives complement or challenge one another. 

• Plan for audience engagement and discussion. 

Panels should prioritize exchange and critical dialogue rather than sequential mini-lectures. 

Posters 
500–800 word written summary + visual poster 

Posters should be 36”x48” in either landscape or portrait format and make use of the poster template. Posters should prioritize visual communication over dense text. This format is not intended to replicate a full scientific paper in compressed form. 

See InDesign document template: IDSA IDC 2026 Poster Template.indd 

Submissions should: 

• Clearly frame the question or problem. 

• Briefly describe methods or process. 

• Present focused findings or insights. 

• Emphasize diagrams, visuals, artifacts, or structured visual storytelling. 

• Articulate what attendees will gain through engagement. 

Posters are particularly appropriate for emerging research, exploratory pedagogy, focused case studies, student work, or work in progress. 

Submission Categories (Tracks)

Track 1 – Design Education
Examines authenticity in teaching and learning. This track considers how pedagogy shapes designers’ understanding of positionality, lived experience, and professional integrity. Contributions may address curriculum design, studio culture, assessment, mentorship, institutional structures, or the evolving role of educators in preparing responsible practitioners.

Track 2 – Design Practice
Explores authenticity in professional practice. This track invites reflections on how designers navigate identity, responsibility, collaboration, materiality, and emerging technologies in real-world contexts. Submissions may examine ethical decision-making, cultural integrity, client relationships, or the tensions between commercial demands and personal or social values.

Track 3 – Research in Design
Focuses on authenticity in inquiry and knowledge production. This track welcomes empirical, theoretical, and methodological work that reflects rigor, transparency, and ethical engagement. Submissions may explore research design, participatory approaches, embodied knowledge, interdisciplinary collaboration, or the role of design research in addressing complex social challenges.

Track 4 – Open Track
Provides space for interdisciplinary, experimental, or unconventional contributions that expand the boundaries of industrial design. This track welcomes speculative, critical, narrative, or emerging practices that challenge norms and provoke dialogue about what authentic engagement in design might mean now and in the future.

Theme: AUTHENTICITY
This year the IDC & Education Symposium at IDSA centers on the theme of AUTHENTICITY, exploring the importance of genuine expression and integrity in design academia and practice. Beyond personal style or branding, authenticity invites reflection on how identity, culture, and institutional contexts shape the ways we design, teach, research, and grow professionally.

Drawing from Simone de Beauvoir’s The Ethics of Ambiguity, authenticity can be understood as a recognition of our “situated freedom” - the idea that our creative agency is always exercised within social, historical, and material conditions. In design, this means acknowledging positionality, power, and responsibility while engaging honestly with communities, collaborators, materials, and emerging technologies.

The IDC & Education Symposium convenes educators, students, researchers, and practitioners to examine authenticity across creative practice, pedagogy, and professional development. We welcome contributions that reflect on lived experience, cultural integrity, ethical action, and honest storytelling, and that advance dialogue on how authentic engagement can strengthen the transformative impact of design.

Note: IDSA's Education Council  will determine the final presentation format for selected submissions based on content, program fit, available space, and scheduling considerations. Final assignments may include traditional paper presentations, panels, workshops, rapid-fire presentations, or other appropriate formats.

Click here to submit your full submission

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